Rosemary and I spent a lovely day back in May at the beautiful Castle & Key Distillery. We tasted and enjoyed some of their Experimental Series of whiskeys. These whiskeys pay homage to the innovative nature of E.H. Taylor Jr. and Castle & Key have channeled that tradition of innovation and curiosity into an exploration of flavor with these small batch, cask strength, finished limited editions. Matt and I recently tasted this Rye whiskey finished in cherry liqueur casks. Here are our tasting notes.
Castle & Key Experimental Cherry Liqueur Cask Rye
Proof:115.2
Age: No Age Statement/27 months in the finishing cask
Nose:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, cherries, baking spice and oak wood.
- Matt: Oak, caramel, rye grass, and peanuts.
Taste:
- Mike: Rye grass, vanilla, cherries, cinnamon, nutmeg and oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry enhances the cherry and cinnamon. Tasted with a pecan brings out caramel, cherries, orange zest and oak in the taste.
- Matt: Vanilla, a sweet cherry flavor and ginger notes. The dried cranberry strengthened the vanilla, sweet cherry and ginger and added a honey flavor. The pecan enhanced the vanilla and added a creamy flavor to the cherry with ginger and cinnamon in the background.
Finish:
- Mike: Medium long with oak wood, cherries and cinnamon spice. The dried cranberry made the finish long with oak wood and lots of cinnamon spice. The pecan also lengthened enhancing the oak cherries caramel and lingering orange zest.
- Matt: Medium long with oak wood and sweet cherry. The dried cranberry enhanced the oak and sweet cherry. The pecan made the finish long and spicy with oak wood, and gingery cherry.
I would pair this with a cigar that is rich in vanilla and dried fruit in the smoke. I would reach for a My Father Blue cigar.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller